


universe

by estelendur



Category: Original Work
Genre: Arinulf Ulfsson - Freeform, Azrill’telan Kačak du Khalazza - Freeform, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:02:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22186777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/estelendur/pseuds/estelendur
Summary: Ficlet from the prompt 'universe'





	universe

Ari lay on his back and stared at the sky. It wasn’t something that came naturally to him; in Tor, the sky was blindingly bright all the time and nobody wanted to look up if they could help it. Here on Rim, everything was dark, except the sky was filled with tiny lights. He rested close to Zrill, who trusted him enough to help keep him warm. He leaned his head close to her ear and whispered, “Where do all the lights come from?”

Zrill _hmm_ ’d. “Do you want to know the boring answer or the fantastic answer?”

“None of your answers are boring, friend.”

“There are many stories connecting earthly legends with pictures that people see in the shape of the stars. I can tell some of those if you like.”

Ari thought, and gazed at the sky, and felt the cold air on his face.

“When I lived in the desert, it felt enormous and unconquerable, but also contained. Below me was sand and above me was the steely, hot, painful sky. That was what there was and I knew where I stood. When I lie here and look up, I don’t know if I’m looking at pinpricks of light through holes in black velvet, or candles burning in an infinite blackness like the biggest tunnel anybody has ever made. I feel very small in this world.”

“I don’t know either,” said Zrill.

“Truly, in the desert we lived by the grace of the Titan. I forgot so easily that our water was miraculous, until one day it was gone. Here, although water and food and shelter are easily found, I feel as though I live by the grace of something deeper and darker than I can imagine.” Ari shivered, and Zrill scooted closer to add her blankets to his.

“There is no grace here. It is all harshness and cold. But there is… friendship, and loyalty, and fires built against the night. Now go to sleep!”

“Very well.”


End file.
